THE PERFECT EXCUSE TO SPEND LABOUR WEEKEND IN NELSON

The 29th Nelson Arts Festival is almost here, in full force from 19 – 29 October, with a packed programme which boasts more than 50 events. With 27 events across Labour Weekend (Friday 20 – Monday 23 October), the vibrant city of Whakatū will come alive with a spectacular programme of free or Pay What You Can music, comedy, literary talks, exhibitions and more.

As we move into summer, the annual arts festival rounds out a perfect getaway for vacationers who want to experience all that the Nelson Tasman region has to offer - arts, beaches, mountains and stunning walks.

For those flying in from across the motu the festival experience starts as soon as they step off the plane, with Elisabeth Pointon’s bold and fun COULD BE BIGGER. - a 7 metre inflatable sculpture presented at the Nelson Airport. Those starting their long weekend off on Friday will have the chance to catch two highly anticipated performances. Award-winning comedian, Shortland Street and Taskmaster NZ star Kura Forrester presents her acclaimed stand-up hour, Here If You Need and the celebrated stage adaptation of Tusiata Avia’s unapologetic poetry collection, The Savage Coloniser Show examines race and racism, the colonised and the coloniser - full of bold humour, courage and lacerating truths.

The Great Kiwi Bake Off, ZM host and award-winning comedian Hayley Sproull performs her show Ailments at the Theatre Royal for those wanting a laugh, and Pōneke-based folk-soul trio KITA present thick lush sounds and barking psychedelic drums at Deville. At Suter Theatre, Can I Live? is a vital new digital performance from Fehinti Balogun + Complicitéabout climate action, sharing Fehinti’s personal journey into the biggest challenge of our times. Chamber music ensemble NZTrio alongside Rob Thorne, Peter Scholes, Bridget Douglas and Yoshiko Tsuruta present a gorgeous, rejuvenating evening of chamber music and taonga pūoro celebrating the conservation work of Forest & Bird at NCMA, and internationally acclaimed spoken word artists Sheldon Rua and Talia Stanley hold a workshop and exclusive performance Victory Poetry Slam at the Victory Boxing Gym.

The festival’s annual literary programme Pukapuka Talks features a star-studded line up of Aotearoa’s most beloved authors and exciting new voices. During Labour Weekend audiences are treated to 14 talks at The Suter Art Gallery including Dazzling New Voices featuring Emma Ling Sidnam, Airana Ngarewa & Colleen Maria Lenihan. Rebecca Priestley discusses her new book, End Times, and chaired by Airana Ngarewa, Monty Soutar ONZM shares the story behind his bestselling and critically acclaimed debut novel, Kāwai: For Such a Time as This. Join Witi Ihimaera and six fellow Māori writers at this special gala event to celebrate Aotearoa storytelling for Witi & Friends Gala Night, and at Tackling Hate: Facing Up To Fear & Loathing in Aotearoa poet Tusiata Avia, activist Jennifer Shields and disinformation researcher Byron C Clark discuss both their experience of hatred and what we can do to protect ourselves and others.

Explore the world of visual arts through inspiring exhibitions including the playful textile installation Sensory Self Portraits by autistic artist Bailee Lobb where audiences will enter into a breath-taking world of colour, filled with large-scale soothing sensory bubbles at Refinery Artspace. At the Nelson Provincial Museum Te Ara o Hine Rēhia tells the story of kapa haka through the eyes of photographer Melissa Banks and at Nelson Cathedral Karen Sewell’s floating sculpture Luminary accompanies exhibition Capturing What Cannot Be Captured, exploring the relationship between colour, light and space.

For arts enthusiasts to those simply looking for a relaxing Labour Weekend getaway, the Nelson Arts Festival has something in store for everyone.

See the full festival programme at www.nelsonartsfestival.nz

The Nelson Arts Festival is made possible with core funding from Nelson City Council and major grants from Creative New Zealand, Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage, and Rātā Foundation, as well as community funding grants and the generous support of the Festival whānau of partner organisations.